Why is this animal unusual?
It spends almost its whole life underground and moves through loose sand so easily that people call it a sand-swimmer. If you spot one on the surface, it can bury itself in seconds.
Why does it look like that?
The shell is pink because you’re seeing blood vessels through it. The armadillo can pump more or less blood into its shell to warm up or cool down – so the colour actually changes with its temperature.
Strangest biological feature
The shell is attached to the body only by a thin strip along the spine, like a cape. And its flat, armoured backside works as a plug: it uses it to pack sand behind itself as it digs.
Why is it strange?
Under that armour it’s covered in soft, silky white fur. Tough on top, fluffy underneath.
Interesting behavioral facts
It digs with enormous front claws that look far too big for its body, and comes out mostly at night. Almost everything else about its daily life is still a mystery.
Records held
The smallest of the roughly twenty kinds of armadillo.
